Float construction moves from Dedman to Mrs. Baird’s factory
Homecoming 2004 will mark a new era of float building atSMU.
Due to renovations being made to the Dedman Center for LifetimeSports — where the annual event has been held in the past– float building will kick off this afternoon in the old Mrs.Baird’s Bread Factory, located at the Southwest corner ofMockingbird Ln. and US-75 Central Expy.
According to Emery Davis, vice chair of the homecomingcommittee, the biggest concern raised by the new location isstudent safety.
Davis said that being alone at night isn’t advisable,regardless of who is wandering around.
“We’re just going to make sure students aren’tup there building by themselves in the middle of the night,”she said.
This year, students will be restricted to building duringspecific time periods at the new location as a safety precaution.In the past, students have been able to work on their floats 24hours a day.
“Before, students could work at anytime,” saidStudent Foundation’s Vice President of Programming KatieHorgan. “Now, times are set except for Wednesday andThursday, when students can work for 24 hours.”
Float themes range from “Texas State Fair” to”‘Bling Bling’ It’s a DallasThing.”
Phi Delta Theta and Kappa Alpha Theta, for example, are buildinga, “Deep in the Heart of Dallas,” float. It features aDallas skyline made entirely of tissue paper.
“I’m really excited about the opportunity to build afloat that represents the city that we live in and are privilegedenough to call our home as students of SMU,” said AdamPortacci, Phi Delta Theta homecoming king nominee.
Taking safety and spirit into account, Alice Bell, decorationschair of the homecoming committee, said there are plans to keepstudents motivated, even though there will be only two days of24-hour building.
“We’re having a party with a D.J. and fun games withprizes and contests which will help kids get excited about floatbuilding,” said Ms. Bell. The party will take place from 11p.m. – 4 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 4.
Beginning at 12 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 3, float building will moveto a 24-hour format, with construction ending at 11 a.m. on Friday,Nov. 5.
